Audio 3:41
More hacking claims by NSA spy

Peter LloydUpdated
Thu 13 Jun 2013, 1:43 PM AEST

American spy-turned-leaker, Edward Snowden, says the United States has been hacking into computer networks in Hong Kong and mainland China as part of its vast global surveillance operation. The former contractor for the United States National Security Agency made the claims in a new interview from Hong Kong, with the local English language daily, the South China Morning Post.

Transcript

ELEANOR HALL: American spy-turned-leaker, Edward Snowden, says the United States has been hacking into computer networks in Hong Kong and mainland China as part of its vast global surveillance operation.

The former contractor for the United States National Security Agency made the claims in a new interview from Hong Kong, with the local English language daily, the South China Morning Post.

Peter Lloyd has our report.

PETER LLOYD: Hong Kong has a strong tradition of fighting to hold onto liberal rights and freedoms against the might and power of their ultimate rulers in Beijing.

Edward Snowden has told the South China Morning Post that he wants to stay in Hong Kong and fight the US government in the courts.

Tom Grundy is part of a pro-democracy movement planning a rally in support of the American at the weekend.

TOM GRUNDY: Edward Snowden said that he chose Hong Kong, there is a spirited commitment to free speech and the right of political dissent here, so we want to show some response to that.

PETER LLOYD: Last week, Snowden revealed the existence of National Security Agency secret programs to collect records of domestic telephone calls in the United States and the internet activity of foreign residents.

Now he's telling more secrets.

During an interview with the South China Morning Post, Snowden revealed that the NSA's targets include thousands of computers in China and Hong Kong.

This is one of his quotes:

EDWARD SNOWDEN (voiceover): We hack network backbones, like huge internet routers basically, that give us access to the communications of hundreds of thousands of computers without having to hack every single one.

PETER LLOYD: If that's correct, Snowden has given substance to claims by some Beijing officials that China has been a victim of hacking efforts coming from the United States.

China watcher Professor Ron Huisken from the Australian National University says the claims should come as no surprise.

RON HUISKEN: The US program is acknowledged as having a focus on terrorism and we knew from way back that that exercise was global.

PETER LLOYD: Does this, in some sense, give the Chinese authorities some bargaining room in that they can now point to this as demonstrated of what they've been saying, which is that they too are victims of hacking, as much as the alleged perpetrators?

RON HUISKEN: I'm sure it does. This is all shades of grey, no-one's perfectly clean in this exercise.

PETER LLOYD: Although Hong Kong has a good deal of economic autonomy, foreign policy decisions like extradition matters are ultimately made in Beijing.

Pro-democracy campaigner Tom Grundy argues that there is public support for offering long term protection to the American whistleblower.

TOM GRUNDY: Hong Kong only last year, should I say at the request of the US and UK, Libyan dissident, who I understand he was then tortured and he didn't receive any trial locally, so we're responding and saying that we want Hong Kong to uphold local law.

It ultimately boils down to Beijing, because they have final say with foreign policy and with the extradition agreement, which was formed before the 1997 handover to China. There is a loophole, whereby if it is a political dissident, then they can veto it and there's no need to extradite him to the US, should that occur.

Also, if he were to claim asylum at the UNHCR, I believe he would have some protection from extradition.